Hunger Facts

$1.6 billion/year = The amount of money that the effect of hunger costs the state of Minnesota every year in healthcare, hospitalization, medication, education and other costs, including lost productivity at work and in school.

1 in 11 = The number of households in Minnesota affected by hunger. Hunger is an urban, suburban and rural problem. There is no corner of the state where hunger does not exist. The Feeding America Missing Meals Map illustrates the problem at a state and county level.

81 million meals = the equivalent number of meals distributed by Second Harvest Heartland in 2017, to nearly 1,000 food shelves, pantries and other partner programs. Enough to feed a mid-sized city of 73,000 people, three meals a day, for a year.

532,000 = The number of people Second Harvest Heartland serves each year.

667,592 miles = The number of miles our fleet of trucks travels each year picking up and delivering food. This equates to almost 27 times around the earth's equator.

More than 1,150 organizations and 43,000 individuals generously contribute dollars and other resources to Second Harvest Heartland each year.

The USDA definition of food insecurity: Multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake. More than 98% of households with very low food security are worried food would run out before they got money to buy more, could not afford a balanced meal, or regularly skipped a meal.